Fortune
by AmaiTsumi
Summary: Fortune knocks once at everyone's door. Translation of a pixiv fic.
1. Chapter 1

Konnichiwa~!

Presenting another wonderful KidLaw AU epic by author ぱるるぅた~~

This one's gonna be loooooooooooooonggggggg~~~ But please stick with this beautiful story till the end! m(_ _)m

Enjoy!

Betaed by the lovely **beposbutt**.

Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~

* * *

**FORTUNE: CHAPTER 1**

**~A chance acquaintance is a divine ordinance.~**

**XxXxXxX**

Trafalgar Law and Eustass Kid were "acquaintances". Nothing more, nothing less.

They attended the same high school, but it was only during their final year that they were assigned to the same class. Thus, they weren't particularly close. Though they exchanged greetings every day, they spent their time with separate groups of friends. Throughout the year, they sat in adjacent seats in class; but that was the limit of their relationship.

They would then progress down their own paths; attending separate universities, pursuing different disciplines, and then finally moving onto their respective careers. It wouldn't have been surprising if this had continued on forever with the two men never again crossing paths; their brief relationship ending at an anticlimactic manner leading to nothing more an insignificant memory of a minor acquaintance.

However, life is often filled with unexpected twists and turns.

It happened that day, when Law returned home late from working overtime. The only trains running at such a late hour were all local trains, and he had no choice but to board one on his way home. Sometimes, he would meet old friends taking the same train, and they would chat and reminisce about the good old days until one of them reached their destination. These conversations always made nostalgia bloom in Law's heart, and it was on one such day that the topic turned towards a possible reunion of old high school friends.

Law agreed readily to attend, assuming that it would be a small, intimate affair, since it would probably be difficult to contact and gather many people after so much time had passed since their school years. However, he'd grossly underestimated his friend's influence; the gathering came to fruition, with an unexpectedly large number of attendees.

He knew he was bad with crowds, but since he'd already agreed to go, it would be impolite not to. And it was during this gathering at a local pub when he met Kid again.

At first, Kid was just another face in the crowd, as everyone stuck with their old cliques. However, as the night wore on, with alcohol in abundance, everyone soon loosened up and the entire group gathered together, eager to share their latest stories and exploits. Thus far, Law had escaped by sharing the barest and most minimal trivialities about himself, taking care not to overconsume too much and divulge too much in drunken revelry. He had skeletons he'd prefer to remain hidden, afterall. But now, as they went round in a circle, each person taking a turn to share in detail, he soon found himself caught.

No, there was much he couldn't share, especially certain recent incidents from the past year. Yet it would be suspicious if he kept silent now. That would have been acceptable earlier on in the night, but now, with everyone's attention upon him, it was impossible to hide away any longer.

It was doubly unfortunate that, despite his precautions, he had had a bit too much to drink. Law knew that it was risky to come up with a complete fabrication to appease his friends; he just couldn't trust his slightly foggy mind to form a believable, coherent story right now.

So, left without a choice, conceded his struggles with a recent situation, taking care to leave out and change certain details. In short, due to a job transfer, he was currently in the midst of relocating. Unable to find suitable accommodations, he had been spending the past few nights in a cheap hotel.

Concern for his well-being came immediately; some expressed sympathy about his circumstances, while others were worried about the high cost of staying long-term at a hotel. Law accepted it all with a strained smile.

But instead of letting the issue go, as he had hoped, his friends took it upon themselves to come up with ways to ease his burden. Law cursed inwardly, it must have been the alcohol that made these people so meddlesome.

Much to his displeasure, a serious discussion ensued, with everyone coming up with suggestions on finding Law a place to stay for the night, then moving on to helping him locate a good place to rent.

Soon, someone recommended Kid's apartment. Apparently the redhead had been living together with his girlfriend, but since they'd broke up recently, Kid had been living alone ever since. Because it was a hassle to shift to a new, smaller apartment, he had stayed, leaving the woman's old bedroom vacant.

"I've shifted some things inside for storage, but if you don't mind..."

Kid left the rest of the invitation unspoken as he gave Law an uninterested glance, a cigarette resting between his lips.

Of course, Law did his very best to politely reject the offer. It was unthinkable, living together with a man he barely knew. He couldn't, he just couldn't.

However, the rest of the group insisted, and in his efforts to get them off his back, Law agreed to stay, at least for that night. With the matter settled, everyone was satisfied that they'd done well and the conversation proceeded on to the next topic of interest. Some time later, the pub took their last orders, and the party soon got ready to leave.

Outside the pub, the group divided into two; one that would continue their pub crawl till morning, the other consisting of those who had work tomorrow, and had to head on home. Kid and Law bade farewell to their friends, then set off together.

As the pub was located close to Kid's apartment, the two decided to walk home. Along the way, they didn't exchange a single word, and a dreary mood settled around them.

Law's mind was reeling. He kept a secret, one that he had omitted when telling his story during the gathering earlier; it was a secret that he couldn't let Kid find out. And he was terrified, because if Kid really insisted that Law stay on for more than one night, he would definitely be exposed.

Law couldn't have Kid find out that he was gay. The job transfer had been a lie. A few days ago, he had been chased out of his home by his now ex-boyfriend, after a fight which ended in an ugly break-up.

It was true that he'd spent the past few nights at a hotel, and that he was facing trouble with accommodations, but he had been determined to look for a good place to rent.

But right now, this unwelcome favour stank of nothing but trouble. Because society was still quite unaccepting of his kind, and Law had lost more than a few friends due to his sexual orientation. The dark-haired man was certain that, should Kid ever find out, the redhead would surely share this delicious gossip with all their high school classmates. He could already see them looking at him differently; ostracizing him and keeping their distance. Law didn't want that.

However, it was too late to change his mind now and escape from Kid's offer. Besides, doing so could end up raising even more questions and rumours. No, he would stay the night. Then, when morning came, he would decline any more of Kid's hospitality and take his leave.

"We're here."

It was a large apartment located at the corner of the second floor. Opening the door, Kid detached a key from his key holder and held it out to Law.

"This one's for you."

'But I'll be leaving tomorrow,' Law wanted to say. But he quietly accepted it for now as he entered the apartment, noting the large number of shoes arranged neatly at the entrance hall. The kitchen was neat and tidy too, and a quick glance into the bathroom revealed the same.

Kid led him past the kitchen, and opened a door on the left to reveal a room. Law spotted a table and sofa, as well as what looked like a stove, covered with tarp, pushed into the corner. There were also numerous boxes, probably holding seasonal clothes like winter coats and such. Without any other large pieces of furniture like a wardrobe or bed, the room seemed quite spacious. Even though he was determined not to stay, Law knew a decent room when he saw one, as he mentally decorated the room with a bed and other essential furnishings.

The question now was, where could he sleep tonight? His eyes landed on the sofa.

"Oh... I don't have any extra futon..."

The same problem seemed to have occured to Kid, as his brow furrowed in thought. An awkwardness immediately filled Law's gut. He shouldn't have agreed to stay, it was really just too sudden.

Thankfully, it was not winter. Spring had just ended, so Law surmised that he would do fine on the sofa, as long as he could borrow a large towel as a make-shift blanket. He was about to voice this suggestion when Kid spoke up.

"My bed's quite big... Shall we sleep together tonight?"

The image of Kid sharing his bed with a women briefly crossed Law's mind, but it was the thought of himself sleeping in the same bed as the redhead that left him most uncomfortable. Technically, they could sleep on opposite ends, but the idea of them in bed together still left the smaller man with a strange taste in his mouth. Law shook his head vehemently.

"No?"

Law shook his head again.

"But you're gay, right?"

Law froze, unable to breathe. His mind reeled with shock as he frantically replayed the evening's gathering in his mind, trying to recall if he'd drunkenly blurted out his secret. He just couldn't remember, and right now, he didn't know if he should deny the fact. His eyes darted about the room, as if searching for an escape route, before realizing that this evasive reaction was all Kid needed to confirm his suspicion.

Law felt his world coming to an end, as a wave of fear swamped his heart.

"Don't worry, I won't tell," Kid added quickly, noting Law's panic.

"B-but... how did you know...?"

Afterward, Law would beat himself up for admitting to it so easily, but right now, he was in too much of a panic to realize what he was saying.

"Well, I usually take a shortcut past this love hotel when on my way home from work... About a month ago... I saw you leave the hotel, with a man."

Law knew exactly which hotel Kid was referring to. It was the only one he'd frequented, with many men, and recently with his ex-boyfriend.

The thought that anyone would recognize him had never even crossed his mind.

"When I saw you, I knew I remembered you from somewhere, but I just couldn't recall. It only came back to me when I saw you at the reunion today."

Law wanted to dig a hole and bury himself deep inside.

"Anyway, I know it's none of my business, but I think it'll be better if you stopped seeing that man. I've seen him visit the hotel many times, with different men and women too. It's just stupid, going to the same place. He could have picked somewhere else if he wanted to cheat. It's almost as if he wants to get caught."

Yes, Law had had his suspicions that his ex-lover was unfaithful, but to have it confirmed, to learn that the reality was so much worse than what he'd imagined... Law almost wished he had never found out. He knew he shouldn't be so concerned; they'd already broken up, afterall. But it still stung bitterly, like rubbing salt into an open wound, and Law feared that the trauma he'd kept locked away would now burst forth and consume him again.

"It's ok... We've already broken up," he managed to whisper.

Kid seemed satisfied as he shrugged nonchalantly. Grunting a reply, he guided Law towards the master bedroom. Leaving him at the doorway, the redhead moved to his closet and pulled out a shirt and pants. Looking back, he saw the smaller man still standing awkwardly in the corridor.

"What are you standing there for? Come in and sleep. You have work tomorrow, right?"

It seemed that, despite everything, Kid was still determined to share his bed. The redhead quickly changed out of his street clothes, then moved to dim the lighting in the room. That done, he flopped onto the bed and burrowed under the covers.

"Good night."

With that, he turned his back on Law.

"...You can't be serious..."

Law's incredulous whisper were the last words they exchanged that night.

* * *

Please leave a review or comment if you can. All of them will be translated and presented to the original author. (・ω・*)


	2. Chapter 2

Hello!

Sorry for making everyone wait so long between updates! I promise to try to update sooner next time! m(_ _)m

Please enjoy the new chapter~~

Betaed by the lovely **beposbutt**.

Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~

* * *

**FORTUNE: CHAPTER 2**

**~Misery loves company.~**

**XxXxXxX**

After that first night in Kid's house, Law had wanted to leave as soon as morning came. However, after the alcohol had worn off and he could think properly once again, the prospect of renting the room from Kid suddenly seemed extremely tempting.

The apartment was situated at quite a good location and was within commuting distance to his workplace. Furthermore, though Kid had discovered the secret Law had worked so desperately to keep hidden, the other man had shown none of the usual signs of disgust or hatred.

Should he leave now, he'd surely return to spending his nights at a hotel. If that was the case, Law was all too happy to feed off Kid's hospitality, at least until he found more suitable living accommodations.

And so began their days of living together as flatmates. It was a simple life in which both men would leave for their respective jobs during the day, then return in the evenings to shower and sleep. Kid had insisted he cover the utility bills, so Law only had to contribute half of the monthly rent. Since he was just starting out on his own again after the break-up and needed the money to get back on track, Law thanked his lucky stars for Kid's generosity.

However, Law knew that he shouldn't rely too much on the redhead. Kid had no obligation to accommodate him, after all, they had never been particularly close friends to begin with. The dark-haired man wondered if Kid would soon tire of sharing his living space and kick him out without warning one day. The thought drove Law to redouble his efforts at searching for an apartment to rent.

But with the burden of work and other affairs eating up his time, weeks passed and Law found himself still without any options. In fact, he had settled down nicely at Kid's place, which further depleted his motivation to move.

This was because Kid was more generous than Law had ever imagined. When Law brought up the issue of moving, Kid had looked genuinely baffled, asking why the smaller man wished to move. To have his place invaded by a random acquaintance -a homosexual at that- during a drunken party... Law wondered if Kid had a screw loose somewhere. Did he really not care? Law honestly had no clue.

After that conversation, the search for new housing dropped off Law's priority list. He tried not to think of himself as weak-willed for giving up so easily.

And before they knew it, an entire year had gone by. In that time, their relationship had progressed from simple acquaintances to friends. But their affinity had not shifted beyond that.

Though they had known each other since high school and spent the past year as flatmates, they had not become close friends. The fact of the matter was that the two spent most of the time living their own separate lives.

True, work took up a large portion of their schedule, but they'd never considered spending their free time during the weekends with each other.

It was mostly because Kid had gotten another girlfriend, and Law himself had also started a relationship with a new man. Sometimes, Kid would bring the girl home, and Law would take the hint, packing a small overnight bag and crashing at a friend's place. In contrast, Law never brought his new boyfriend back to the apartment.

With their time and efforts focused on their respective lovers, the two gradually grew apart again and their relationship shifted back to that of mere flatmates.

But there was one problem; both Kid and Law had no luck with romance. Neither of their relationships lasted more than a month. The usual length was two weeks; sometimes only one. Law held the record for the shortest relationship: one that only lasted three days.

The break-ups usually occurred after the other party cheated or became physically violent. It was as if the two men were magnets for trouble.

It happened once again when Kid agreed to break up with his latest girlfriend the previous day. She had been using his money to finance numerous shopping trips and her extravagant lifestyle, and now, she had finally asked for him to become a guarantor so that she could take out a loan from the bank. When Kid refused, she had threatened to end the relationship, certain that the redhead would give in. However, she had not anticipated that Kid had felt discontented for quite some time. Knowing that he didn't have the means to make her happy, Kid had agreed to the break-up with graciousness.

Before he knew it, she had flung her drink at him, cup and all. The glass shattered as it hit him on the temple, and Kid felt a sharp pain over his eye.

He had not expected the attack, and the shock from both her anger and his injury left him rooted to the spot.

"You've never loved me, have you?!"

Those were the last words she said before she stormed out of his apartment.

But it wasn't true. She was a charming girl, and Kid had always found her really cute and beautiful. When they first started dating, he had resolved to work hard to make her happy; he wanted to do the best he could for her. Yet it had all meant nothing. In the end, his resolution never came to fruition, and she had never felt his love.

He knew he could have averted this whole situation by becoming her guarantor, but Kid couldn't bring himself to do it. It only served to highlight their different priorities in life, so Kid had chosen to let go of the relationship. On hindsight, he guessed he couldn't blame her for assuming that he'd never loved her.

The next day, Law came home sporting a large bruise on his cheek.

The previous day, Law had made his way to his boyfriend's apartment to spend the night, as was their weekly custom. However, his lover wasn't alone; there was an unknown man clinging to his boyfriend's arm. Law had stood frozen at the door in shock, and before he knew it, his boyfriend had rushed forward, aiming a punch at his face. Having no time to defend himself, Law had taken the blow, falling to the ground at the impact. In a daze, Law heard his boyfriend speaking to the other male.

"Don't worry about him, darling. He's just a desperate stalker who just won't leave me alone."

It was a cold voice, filled with hate. Law felt his boyfriend grab him by the shirt and yank him upwards. Lifting his gaze, Law met the other man's eyes. In that moment, he sensed the murderous contempt the other felt for him, and fearing for his safety, Law had fled.

He couldn't recall how or where he spent the night. But now, as Law stood before the entrance to Kid's apartment, he felt almost dazed and took a few deep breaths. He didn't know if it was a good or bad thing, but having experienced so many failed relationships, his mind had already moved past the shock. Instead, he was working hard to come up with a plausible reason why he had been dumped again.

Perhaps he had cared too much. Throughout their relationship, Law had made it a point to cook breakfast and dinner for his boyfriend every day, as well as packing boxed lunches for him to take to work. He had also taken it upon himself to clean the apartment whenever he could. However, his boyfriend had not appreciated his efforts, and would frequently get angry over how Law had "messed up his things". He was also often yelled at over the way he did the chores; the man was never satisfied with the way Law did the laundry, down to the way he folded the clothes and arranged them in the closet. Law had done his best to adjust to his boyfriend's demands, but now, it seemed like it had all been in vain.

Opening the door, he entered the apartment and moved to Kid's room, quietly joining the redhead at the low table set in the middle of the room.

"I got dumped again," he whispered as he gave Kid a bitter smile.

The TV was on, but Kid was staring out the window at the sky, smoking a cigarette. The lights were off, but the sunlight illuminated the room, and that was when Law spotted the bruise forming on Kid's temple.

It wasn't the first time he'd seen Kid like this, nor was it the first time Kid had witnessed a bruised and battered Law. Even without speaking, they could guess what had happened to the other.

The smell of cigarette smoke filled the room. Law pulled a pack out from his back pocket and lit up a stick of his own.

"Don't."

"Speak for yourself."

There was nothing funny about the exchange, but Law giggled all the same.

"Eustass-ya... Are you hungry? I can cook something."

Their eyes met.

"Did you get that bruise yesterday? You ok?" Kid asked brusquely.

"It's alright. I'm used to it."

It was true, Law was used to violence. The realization made his heart clench a little in pain.

"How about Eustass-ya, are you ok?"

"My finances are intact, I've been working lots of overtime, after all."

Law knew about Kid's frugal nature. The redhead took his job seriously, frequently putting in overtime and even working on holidays. Thus, it was typical of the redhead to gloss over his failed relationships, choosing to focus on an aspect of his life that gave him security.

When Law had first moved in, Kid had apologized the mess in the spare room. In actuality, there was not much clutter at all, and over the year, the room had slowly filled up with Law's things. Looking around Kid's room now, the fact that there was not a single excessive item stood out all the more starkly.

That was just how Kid was. He would scrimp and save on himself, yet spend extravagantly on his lover. It was even reflected in his wardrobe; Kid owned little else aside from the suits he needed for work. His shoes were mostly worn to the sole, a testament to how he chose to walk everywhere, as opposed to getting a car or taking public transportation.

"Such a waste..."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing..."

But yes, it was a waste. Kid was definitely not your average guy, but he was truly a good man inside. It was really too bad none of his girlfriends had appreciated that.

"You have the worst luck with women, Eustass-ya."

"You're not any better. Be more careful next time."

Kid stubbed out his cigarette in the overflowing ashtray, then released a sigh. Law extinguished his own stick shortly afterwards.

"You said you'll cook, but I don't think there's anything in the fridge."

"Then let's go out together to get some groceries. Anything you wanna eat?"

"Hotpot...?"

It was cute, how Kid always chose dishes that usually served two. Law was also thankful that Kid had chosen something that required minimal time and effort to prepare. The redhead must be hungry.

Law stood, and Kid followed suit after switching off the TV. Grabbing their wallets, the two put on their jackets as they headed for the entryway.

"How about the soup?" Law asked.

"Miso will be good."

Law glanced at the kitchen clock. It was almost evening, the time when most groceries went on sale. The supermarket would surely be crowded.

"If we're having miso, then let's get the normal cabbage instead. It'll taste better than chinese cabbage."

"Sounds good. We'll get some beer too."

"Some rice as well. I can make it into a gruel to add to the hotpot."

Opening the door, they stepped out into the cold evening air.

"You're making me real hungry..."

In the fading light, Kid looked even more exhausted. Law wondered if the redhead had eaten anything at all that day. Probably not, judging by how the usually neat man hadn't even bothered to empty the overflowing ashtray in his room.

"Why are you hungry?"

"Because... I'm alive...?"

Despite his exhaustion, Kid remained patient with Law, even supplying an answer to his silly question, like a doting parent would to a child.

"By the way, there's nothing good on TV tonight."

"Let's rent some DVDs then."

The thought of hotpot and beer while watching DVDs lit a spark of happiness in Law's heart.

"How about that movie that just came out?"

"Which one?"

Unable to recall the title nor the lead actor's name, Law could only supply a vague summary of the plot.

"I really don't know which one you're talking about," Kid finally said with a chuckle.

"I wonder if they're still having that sale, where you'll get a discount for renting 5 DVDs."

"What are we gonna do with 5? There's no time to watch them all."

"Oh, that's true."

Their light-hearted banter continued as they walked down the street together. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon, and Law briefly wondered if the next day would be sunny.

And thus, carrying their slightly heavy burdens of misery, the two continued on with their lives.

* * *

Please leave a review or comment if you can. All of them will be translated and presented to the original author. (・ω・*)

**darkimpulse**: I knowwwww! This story's gonna be really cute so I hope you'll enjoy it~

**Shiina Yuki**: Hope you enjoyed this new chapter! ^_^

**LittleScarlet**: Do let me know how you predict the story will progress. Would love to hear your thoughts!

**omnomnom**: Haha totally true! Let's hope this turns out well for Kid and Law!

**snoopypompom**: Thank youuuuu! Haha this story is actually already completed on pixiv, with 60 chapters, and the author is currently writing a sequel now. So you'll have to stick around for quite a while. ;)

**ladyevilbunny**: Really hope you'll like this story! *smiles*

**Famelia Ly**: Do look out for the coming chapters to see how these two will progress~ ;)


	3. Chapter 3

Hello!

Please enjoy the new chapter~~

Betaed by the lovely **beposbutt**.

Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~

* * *

**FORTUNE: CHAPTER 3**

**~Misfortunes always come in pairs.~**

**XxXxXxX**

It was one of those rare days that both Law and Kid happened to have a day off from work, so the two decided to spend the day shopping together. While both men had already started new relationships, their respective partners were busy that day, leading the two men to rely on one another to stave off their boredom.

In truth, it was a weird relationship they shared; both understood the kind of horrid luck the other had with love, as well as how terribly often they fell in and out of relationships. As such, there was a sort of unspoken agreement to never talk about how many failed relationships the other had, or what had happened to the previous lover, or how things were going with the current one. It felt like a dance, one where both parties were wary not to step on each other's toes. On the other hand, it could just be that both men were simply too involved in their own affairs to bother to ask about the other.

Even so, Kid found it easy to tell when Law had started or ended a relationship. Law had a strange habit of adopting his lovers' likes and dislikes, such as the other man's actions or catchphrases, and especially his smoking habits.

Kid didn't know if Law had a thing for smokers, or if it was just pure coincidence, but all of the dark-haired man's past lovers shared that same characteristic. Whenever Law started a relationship, he would begin smoking his lover's preferred brand of cigarettes; it was a unique behaviour that Kid had picked up on over the past year of living with the man. It seemed that every time he bumped into Law, he would see the smaller man smoking a different brand, a hint at the disturbing rate the other male fell in and out of relationships.

The last time he saw Law, the dark-haired man had been carrying a thin blue box of cigarettes. Yet as they entered the convenience store to do some last-minute shopping, he noticed that the other man had picked up a green packet instead this time.

Unlike Kid, Law never bought cigarettes by the carton despite it being the cheaper option, something Kid had never really understood until today. Judging by how quickly the shorter man burned through romantic partners, they'd probably break up before he had even finished the first pack he'd bought. It was slightly unsettling how Law had adapted his habits to suit such a life, as if he expected each relationship to fail before it had even barely begun. Kid wondered if that subconscious assumption had affected Law's relationships with his lovers, and that was why he'd never had a successful relationship. But then again, it could be that Kid was just reading too much into the situation.

The redhead silently regarded the smaller man as he watched Law shop. Through their interactions in the past few hours, he concluded that he did, in fact, enjoy spending time with Law. The dark-haired man was the one who invited him out in the first place, and throughout the day, he'd been nothing but gracious and obliging. Not once had the man made an impulse purchase, or spent his money without consideration and thought. This was something which Kid, who was used to being dragged by his spoiled girlfriends on lavish shopping trips, found exceedingly refreshing.

"Eustass-ya, have you forgotten to buy something?"

Kid started at Law's soft enquiry. The smaller male was standing a few paces before him, and Kid realized that he'd been so caught up in his musings that he'd stopped walking.

"No, I'm fine," he replied as he hurried to catch up, and the two started walking again, side by side.

"Tomorrow's my day off too. What about Eustass-ya?"

"Nah, I have work."

"That's too bad."

He'd initially had the next day off work as well, but an urgent call had come in a while ago. It happened so often that Kid was no longer surprised.

"How about I cook extra for tonight's dinner, so you can pack some in a bento for lunch tomorrow? It'll be fine if we leave the food in the fridge overnight," Law offered with a smile.

"Well, but-"

"It'll be no trouble at all. And it's cheaper than if you eat at the cafeteria at work, right? Plus, I'm sure my cooking tastes much better," Law cut him off with a chuckle.

Before he'd landed his current job, Law had held many temporary ones at restaurants during his school days. As a result, he was a great cook with quite an impressive repertoire of dishes. Kid was amazed every time he tasted Law's cooking; not only was the food delicious, but Law certainly knew the best and most appetizing ways to present his dishes.

"What are you planning to make today?"

"Hamburger steaks, with vegetables and sunny-side eggs."

"Sounds good."

"It will be, so make sure you don't snack before dinner."

Chatting happily, the two made their way back to the apartment. Once home, Law immediately padded into the kitchen to start dinner preparations. Kid was surprised; it was still mid-afternoon, and he'd expected the other man to take a short rest after a full day of shopping before commencing the cooking.

"Hey, don't you wanna rest first?"

"Why? Aren't you hungry?"

"Well..."

That wasn't true, but Kid wasn't a child. He could hold out till dinnertime. But before he could say anything, Law beat him to it.

"It's alright, just wait for a bit. I'll be done real soon."

With that, Law turned back to the stove. For a moment, Kid felt like he was chatting with his mother, instead of his roommate.

Kid knew that once Law started cooking, he'd probably get no rest till dinner was done. He thought back once again to how the both of them had spent most of the day out shopping, and felt a slight pang of guilt for not insisting that Law take a break.

But the smaller man remained in a good mood throughout, even as the two dined together, and the smile on his face when Kid praised his cooking finally eased the redhead's mind.

**XxXxXxX**

After work the next day, Kid returned to an empty house. As he entered his room to remove his suit jacket, he heard the front door opening. Puzzled, he poked his head out of his room to see Law removing his shoes at the entryway. He recalled that Law had told him the previous night that he would be spending the night at his lover's place, and wouldn't be home today. The dark-haired man's presence now sent a cold sense of dread running down Kid's spine.

"Welcome home," he called out tentatively.

Law remained standing by the door, silent as he stared at the floor. Kid spotted a plastic bag filled with groceries in the other man's hand, his knuckles white as he gripped the carrier tightly in his palm. After a moment, he looked up, a forced smile on his face as he whispered, "I'm home".

Kid's eyes widened as he caught sight of a distinctive redness coloring one of Law's cheeks. Before he knew it, he'd rushed up to the other man.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine... I'm used to it."

Casting his face down once again, Law shuffled past Kid to place the groceries on the kitchen counter, before moving into Kid's room and settling on one of the cushions before the low table. Retrieving the pack of cigarettes he'd bought the previous day, he took out a stick and lit up, before throwing the rest of the mostly-full pack into the trashbin. Kid's heart twisted at the miserable implication of that action.

"I made her cry..." Law suddenly whispered.

"Huh? Who?"

"I think... she is his girlfriend...?"

His words made Kid want to throw up. He could only imagine the pain Law was in, to find out that his lover was already attached, and to a woman no less.

"She was so angry... She said that I had seduced her boyfriend..."

"Did you?"

"No, he was the one who came after me."

Kid could already picture the bastard in his mind. He'd probably been bored of his female lover and chased after Law to experience the thrill of a homosexual relationship, and when outed, had pushed all the blame to the hapless dark-haired male.

Law looked exhausted as he continued puffing on the cigarette absentmindedly on the cigarette.

"A man should be with a woman... That's what the world sees as right... People like me will always be wrong, and I made her cry... She had every right to hit me..."

Stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray, Law sighed. Kid took the chance to examine Law's face. Fortunately, there was no bruising, only redness and some slight swelling. She must have slapped him.

"She was so shocked that it was a man who stole her boyfriend. I feel so bad for her."

Kid didn't understand. Law was the victim here, why was he saying all this?

"I hope she'll be happy now..."

Kid scoffed internally. How could she be happy, knowing her boyfriend was a liar and cheat? Even so, it was just like Law, always wishing well for others, while sweeping his own miseries under the rug.

The two sat in silence for a while, before Law dragged himself to his feet.

"Eustass-ya, would you like omelette rice for dinner?"

Kid nodded. Law probably didn't want to waste the groceries he'd bought, and working in the kitchen would give the smaller male some time to cool down.

In the end, the two had omelette rice together for dinner, a meal that was orginally intended for Law's now ex-boyfriend.

The egg was moist and fluffy, and the rice was truly delicious. Law's cooking always looked like something one could find at an expensive restaurant, yet it still managed to taste lovingly homemade.

"This is really good."

"I know. It's my best dish."

The smile on Law's face was small but genuine as if it hurt to smile too widely; his cheek was probably still tender. Guilt raced through Kid with the knowledge that this meal was not meant for him weighing heavily on his mind. In that moment, he sensed the distance between them, and loneliness pulled at his heart.

After the meal, they retreated into Kid's room with several cans of beer. Law usually preferred Chuhai, but they had unfortunately run out of it at the moment. Kid mentally reminded himself to stock up tomorrow.

The smaller man's melancholy had returned in full force as he blazed through several beers and cigarettes at a pace Kid had never witnessed from him before. Before long, the table was piled with empty cans, the ashtray overflowing with smouldering cigarette butts. He was also much more talkative, though it was mostly a one-sided monologue that seldom required any input on Kid's part. It was as if Law was just trying to get things off his chest, to relieve the pain pressing down on his heart; it didn't matter if anyone was there to hear.

But Kid was there, listening as Law spouted seemingly nonsensical stories and thoughts, ocassionally making half-hearted jokes at his bad luck with men.

"If only someone would really love me for once..."

Kid stared at the other man, the sudden seriousness of his tone catching his full attention.

"Hey, do you think homosexuals will ever find happiness?"

Kid held no biased views against queer people, but he knew the rest of the world could be cruel. Society as a whole was steadily becoming more open-minded and yet the discrimination had not entirely disappeared. Thus, there were still people who held on to the more traditional views regarding sexuality.

Kid wondered at the amount of pain and hurt this must have cost Law all his life.

But to think that he would never find happiness was an extremely depressing mentality.

"Maybe I'll end up dying alone, a pathetic old man who's never found love..."

Law had stretched out on the carpet, staring blankly at the ceiling as he whispered to himself. Kid thought that the smaller man would start crying, yet his eyes remained dry.

"Who told you that?"

It was the most personal question Kid had ever asked of Law, his voice carrying all the concern and care he felt for the other. But Law only gazed at him silently, a pitiful smile on his lips. Kid tried again.

"Who told you that? Your parents?"

Law looked back up at the ceiling, the forced smile still plastered on his face.

He didn't speak another word that night.

* * *

Please leave a review or comment if you can. All of them will be translated and presented to the original author. (・ω・*)

**Childerika**: Yes, this story moves at quite a leisurely pace, so it really gives a sense of peace and calm~ And I love kind and gentle Kid here!

**Shiina Yuki**: Law just has the worst luck with men. I guess he just invests his whole soul into every man, but it just keeps backfiring on the poor dear. :( And yes, I will definitely finish this story, all 60 chapters and sequel!

**Ma-lyn14**: Sorry to keep you waiting! I promise to update sooner next time!

**loogoo**: Yep, the two of them just have the best chemistry, though they haven't figured it out yet. ;)

**kurapika247**: Thanks! Glad you love the story too~

**WolfirePrincess**: Lol their luck is not really gonna get much better until they start to realize that their ideal lover is literally right in front of them! XD

**yoo**: Yeah, they just have the worst of luck, but that just means maybe they'll start looking in the right direction the next time round~


	4. Chapter 4

Hello!

Sorry for not updating for AGES! Life has been crazy tough these days and it's really been a struggle trying to find time to sit down and work on translations... *sobs* Either way, this chapter has been lying around for some time and I've finally gotten off my butt to post it up. Enjoy!

Betaed by the lovely **beposbutt**.

Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~

* * *

**FORTUNE: CHAPTER 4**

**~What is done cannot be undone.~**

**XxXxXxX**

That day, Law returned home around noon.

He was slightly surprised to find that Kid wasn't in the apartment, but he knew the redhead usually went out even on his rest days.

Law padded to his room, spotting a line of laundry fluttering in the wind on the veranda connected out his window. Kid typically preferred to hang his laundry in his own bedroom whenever he had to be out for the day, so seeing the clothes outside probably meant that Kid was out on an errand and would be back soon.

With that thought in mind, Law went about his chores, sweeping the floor and cleaning out the fridge. That done, he settled down in front of his laptop and spent some time browsing through the Internet. When the sun was about to set, he went outside and gathered up the clean laundry.

It suddenly occured to him how little clothes Kid owned. Not that he'd expected the other man to own an entire wardrobe like some fashion-conscious girl, but compared to all of Law's past lovers, the redhead's collection was measly at best. Just then, he heard the front door opening.

"Welcome home," Law called out.

Kid appeared exhausted as he bent to peel off his shoes at the entryway, and Law wondered if he'd heard him at all. It was only when Kid straightened up and entered the living room then did he notice Law.

"I'm home," he sighed in lethargic response.

"I've brought in the laundry."

"Yeah, thanks. Just leave them on my bed."

"OK."

Law gathered the pile of freshly-laundered clothes and dumped them onto Kid's bed. All this while, Kid stood in the middle of the living room, glaring at the floor. Law wondered if the larger man was just too tired to move.

That said, it had been a blistering hot day. Summer wasn't truly here yet, but the rainy season seemed to already be over, and each day felt stiflingly hot. Law wasn't surprised that Kid's errand out in the heat had sapped all his energy.

Law would have loved to make things more bearable for his red-haired housemate, but alas, they didn't own an air-conditioner. Thus, he moved the electric fan next to the open window, hoping it would help encourage the circulation of cool air throughout the apartment. Sadly, it didn't seem to work.

"Would you like to take a bath? I just washed the tub, I can-"

"No... I'll do that later..."

'-fill it up for you.'

The rest of Law's sentence remained unspoken as he anxiously took in Kid's sweating form. Afraid that he was suffering from heatstroke, Law pulled the man into the kitchen. Digging out a can of barley tea from the fridge and filling a glass full with the chilled drink, Law passed it to the larger man, who downed its entire contents in a single gulp.

He was relieved to see the other male finally responding, but Kid still appeared gloomy as he wordlessly waved away a second glass of barley tea.

The two stood in silence for a few moments while Law sipped gingerly at the glass of tea the redhead had rejected. Slowly, he noted Kid coming back to his senses, and was quietly glad when the redhead finally grabbed the nylon bag he'd brought back with him from his errand and opened it, showing its contents to Law.

"Look, I got some apples here. Wanna try them?"

"Yes," Law nodded gratefully.

"Alright, wait here. I'll cut them into slices."

Kid moved to the bathroom to wash up, before returning to the kitchen. Grabbing a knife, he skillfully skinned the apples and cut them into slices.

Law thought he looked like a real chef at work, and said so.

"You're really good at this, Eustass-ya."

"Really? But everyone can do this, right?"

"But look, the skin is still all in one piece. That's amazing," Law gushed as he picked up the discarded skin from the kitchen counter, staring at it in awe like a child. The sight made Kid smile.

"Shall I make you a rabbit then?"

"You can?!"

Law's eyes positively sparkled as he watched Kid make several incisions on an apple. Soon, the apple's skin became long bunny ears, and Kid handed the apple-turned-rabbit to a delighted Law.

"Wow! I've never seen anyone do this before!" Law exclaimed as he marvelled at Kid's handiwork. The redhead grinned as he stabbed a slice with a toothpick, before feeding it to Law.

"Is it sweet?"

"No, it's sour," Law couldn't help but grimace at the taste, before adding hurriedly, "but it tastes alright!"

"Well, that's just too bad," Kid laughed, and Law was relieved to see the larger man smiling again.

Kid then tried a slice himself, before confirming that it was indeed too sour. Law giggled at the sight of Kid scowling at the apple slices.

After filling their stomachs with the fruit, Kid went to take his bath, while Law started on dinner preparations. His plan was to improvise a dish of yakisoba with all the random ingredients he'd found in their fridge. The resulting dish turned out to be as tasty, beautiful and fragrant as he'd imagined, and Law gave himself a satisfied pat on the back at his masterpiece.

"That looks really good," Kid commented as he stepped into the kitchen, fresh from the bath with a towel around his neck and red hair dripping wet.

"Hey, don't drip all over the floor," Law scolded as he grabbed the towel off Kid's shoulders, attempting to dry the other male's hair, only to find himself coming up a few inches too short. Unfazed, he stood up on his tiptoes, using his fingertips to towel the dampness from Kid's hair.

It took a while before he realized that he was standing almost nose-to-nose with Kid, who was smirking like a devil.

"Stop smiling and help me out a little here!" Law huffed as he rolled his eyes.

"Sorry. You're just too cute like that."

Kid laughed as he took the towel from a stunned Law's hands, before heading back into the bathroom to use the hairdryer.

Law refused to admit that Kid's words had stirred a strange feeling in his heart, as he threw himself into the task of serving the steaming yakisoba onto two plates and setting them on the low table in Kid's room. Kid soon came in as well, bearing two cups and several cans of chilled barley tea.

"You didn't have to wait for me," Kid commented as he sat down at the table. In fact, he was slightly impressed that Law actually possessed the manners to wait.

"Well, I feel that food tastes much better when you're eating it with someone," Law smiled as he tucked into the meal. After pouring out drinks for both of them, Kid started eating as well.

"Delicious."

"That's good to hear."

That was another reason why Law didn't mind waiting for Kid to start the meal together. The redhead's comments and praises always made his heart full, and even if they didn't talk about much else, the smaller male always enjoyed dinnertime with Kid.

After the meal, Law went to take a bath, and was pleasantly surprised to find the dishes in the sink already washed and put away when he returned. Grabbing a can of beer for Kid and Chuhai for himself, he made his way to Kid's room.

"Thanks for washing the dishes."

"No problem. Thanks for the delicious meal."

Kid thanked him once again when he passed him the beer, and Law found himself smiling at the casual formality of their conversation.

In truth, he didn't need Kid's gratitude. Law cooked because he loved doing so, and since he usually cooked meals for himself, cooking for an additional person was no trouble at all.

Of course, the fact that he secretly enjoyed being on the receiving end of Kid's attention and consideration was just a bonus.

Sitting down next to Kid, he opened his can of Chuhai and took a sip. Enjoying his drink, it was only after a few long moments that he noticed how Kid was staring at him. More specifically, at his legs, clad only in a pair of pajama shorts he usually wore to bed.

Belatedly, his mind registered the feeling of Kid's fingers stroking along his bare thigh, and he flinched in shock, almost spilling his drink. Unfazed, Kid's fingers continued their movement down his thigh, stroking down the length of his calf.

"W-what...?"

"It's nothing. Just...do you shave?" Kid asked curiously as his eyes and fingers continued roaming the smooth, silky skin of Law's legs.

"Well... Once in a while... I've never had much hair on my legs, but I don't like the feeling, so I shave sometimes..."

Law's past lovers usually didn't mind it either way, and while a few had loved his smooth legs, Law remembered how a couple of them had been disgusted by what they termed his "girly" habit. But Law had always believed that his body belonged to him, and he had every right to do whatever he wanted to it. It wasn't as if he was trying to imitate a woman or male model, he just personally preferred having his legs smooth and hairless.

"That's nice... You have really shapely legs too, much prettier than most girls I know..."

Law's face turned scarlet upon hearing Kid whisper those words in a low voice. Flustered, he swatted Kid's hand away.

"Stop saying such lewd things! You're straight, aren't you!"

"What has me being straight got to do with anything?"

Unable to come up with a reply, Law could only gape as Kid laughed.

"N-no more touching allowed! I'm not some free petting zoo!"

"So you'd rather I ogle from a distance?"

"Stop talking like that! Why must you ogle me?! You're such a brute!" Law protested as he shuffled further away from the grinning Kid.

His eyes flitted across the room, searching for some way to change the topic, when he caught sight of Kid's shirt hanging on a hook on the wall.

"Your shirt... One of the buttons is coming loose..."

"Huh? Oh, yeah... And it's quite a new shirt too," Kid commented off-handedly as he lit up a cigarette. Thankfully, he seemed to have gotten bored of teasing Law.

"And you're not doing anything about it?"

"What can I do?"

"Shall I sew it back for you?"

Kid's eyes widened. "You can do that?"

Law nodded, "I have a sewing kit..."

"Oh... Whatever for?"

"It's always good to have a portable kit in case of emergencies," Law reasoned as he grabbed his bag, which had been lying in a corner of the room, and pulled it towards him. Taking out his tiny sewing kit, Law proceeded to mend the shirt.

"Wow... I never knew you could do something like that," Kid mused as he watched Law deftly sew the button back in place.

"It's actually really easy. Eustass-ya, you should learn how to do it too. It's an essential skill for people who live alone."

Law finished up with a couple of extra rounds to ensure the button stayed secure, before tying a knot and cutting off the needle and excess string with a small pair of scissors.

"Well, they always say the most important things one learns in school are Japanese, Math, English, Science and Home Economics," Law said with a smile.

"What about Social Studies?"

Law cast his eyes down at Kid's words. Society had never truly been accepting of people like him.

"Has it always been like that...?" Kid's soft voice pierced through Law's thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Have you always lived alone?"

He could have just given a short affirmative answer and let the issue slide, but for some reason, Law felt like he could talk to Kid about it. In fact, he needed to talk about it, to share with Kid something he'd never shared with anyone before.

"My family is one of doctors, so I was nurtured ever since I was a child to become one too... But unfortunately, I just wasn't cut out for it."

The high school that Kid and Law had attended had been quite a prestigious establishment, but apparently, it had not been good enough for Law's parents.

"After high school, I went to a medical college, but I couldn't cope. I spent my time flirting with the guys there instead of studying, so my grades plummeted, which then led to my parents finding out that I'm gay..."

Law recalled how he had been told to come straight home that day, only to be told that he was no longer part of the family and chased out.

"My elder brother had always been the better one, so I never felt like I mattered in that house anyway. My sexuality was just a good excuse for them to get rid of someone they've never truly wanted."

Thus far, Kid had been listening silently to Law's recollection, a slight frown on his face.

"After they cut all ties with me, I couldn't afford to pay my tuition fees, so I dropped out of school. Since then, I've been moving from job to job..."

Law sighed. He hadn't meant to divulge as much as he did. As if sensing that, Kid hesistated a moment before asking.

"Do you regret it?"

"No."

Law's answer came almost immediately, his voice soft but firm.

"No matter how fucked up my life was, it's still my life. I've faced lots of obstacles and trouble, but there were times when I felt happy too."

With the Chuhai settling warm in his tummy, Law lit up a cigarette. He pictured the rising smoke wrapping around his painful memories, carrying them away as it drifted towards the ceiling.

"I see," Kid whispered in understanding as he lit up a stick of his own.

* * *

Please leave a review or comment if you can. All of them will be translated and presented to the original author. (・ω・*)

**DropTheBeat**: Thank you! I'm so glad you love this story, cause I do too! ^_^ And Kid can be such a nice guy!

**LunaPieces**: Yep, I guess many fics from the Japanese fandom choose to focus more on development of feelings and describing emotions and stuff. It does give the fics a very homey and sweet feel~ :)

**Childerika**: Heheh, but Law doesn't know it yet. Neither does Kid, in fact. They've still got a ways to go before they fall hopelessly for each other! XD

**sadlymumbles**: *hugs you* Don't cry dearie, hope you enjoyed this cute chapter!

**Guest**: Thanks! Hope you'll continue to support this wonderful story~!

**Guest 2**: Hahah! But I think deadline Law's depression has reached depraved levels. This Law is still quite sane (thankfully lol). And yeahhh, Law should fall for Kid like, now! He's such a gentleman! And thanks for your concern from tumblr! *hugs your love, chocolate and kittens*

**loogoo**: Lol I knoww! I wanna try Law's cooking too!

**Shiina Yuki**: Thank you for all your support sweetie! *hugs you tight*

**cantorahagedoorn**: Here's more! Hope you enjoyed it! :D


	5. Chapter 5

Hello!

Enjoy the new chapter!

Betaed by my lovely bb **beposbutt**.

Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~

* * *

**FORTUNE: CHAPTER 5**

**~Easier said than done.~**

**XxXxXxX**

The rainy season had just let up.

According to the daily news forecast, they had received a miniscule amount of rainfall this season, which meant that the upcoming summer was bound to be a scorching one. In fact, the newscaster had taken to putting out frequent reminders for the public to stay hydrated to prevent against potential heat stroke.

As the temperature slowly rose day by day, it soon grew too hot to do anything outdoors. The weather was so stifling that it became a chore to do much more than sit at home with the windows open and the fans going at full blast. As such, Kid and Law found themselves spending much time at home in each other's company. It had become a sort of routine, without either of them realizing it. At one point Law had suggested that they make their way to a nearby cafe to enjoy the air-conditioning, but with a glimpse out the window at the burning sun, they dismissed the idea immediately.

It was on such a day that the two men were parked in front of the TV, having just finished watching the news. Law picked up the remote and scrolled through the channels listlessly, searching for something interesting to watch. Having found nothing, he settled for an entertainment channel that was currently running a segment on the scandals of obscure media celebrities.

Random B-list celebrities hooking up, or cheating on their lovers. News of starlets getting pregnant, resulting in sudden decisions to marry. It was an endless parade of sordid stories.

Just as Law was spacing out, he suddenly heard Kid's mobile phone ringing. He cast a sideways glance at Kid who was sitting beside him on the couch as the redhead answered the call.

At first, Law assumed it was a call from Kid's workplace, but something didn't feel right as he watched Kid's monosyllabic replies to the caller, his face an expressionless mask. Deciding to give Kid some privacy, Law retreated to his room. He didn't have the luxury of having a fan there, so the place felt unbearably hot. Nonetheless, Law closed the door between the rooms.

Walking out to the veranda, he collected the morning's laundry. The fragrance of fresh clothes mixed with the sweet scent of fabric softener, filled the room with its fragrance as Law brought the clothes back inside.

He then divided the clothes into two piles. His own went into a drawer under the bed, while Kid's were neatly folded and stacked to be brought to the redhead's room later.

Plopping down in front of his laptop, Law browsed through his favorite recipe sites, looking for suitable ones that complemented what they currently had in their fridge. Having decided on a few dishes, Law made plans to visit the grocery store in the evening when it would be cool enough to head out to grab a few other ingredients.

At that moment, he heard a knock on his door.

"Yes?"

The door opened, and Law was shocked to see Kid standing there with a stricken, troubled look on his face.

"Trafalgar."

A pained expression flitted across Kid's face, before he swallowed hard, averted his eyes, and tried again.

"Trafalgar. Can I ask a favor?"

"Of course... What is it...?"

It was extremely rare for Kid to ask favors from anyone. He was a man who preferred to handle his own matters. Even when it came to housework, which Law had voluntarily taken over ever since he moved in, Kid still picked up after himself. And whenever Law had left a chore undone, he usually returned to find that the redhead had finished it for him. In fact, throughout their entire time together, Kid had seldom asked anything of Law.

But now, the man stood fidgeting at the door. Law couldn't remember Kid ever looking so troubled, not even during that time a while back when he discovered his girlfriend cheating on him. An unsettling feeling stirred in Law's belly.

"May I come in?"

"Of course."

Law found it slightly ridiculous that Kid even had to ask when the entire apartment was essentially the redhead's property. Law had always thought of himself simply as a guest; one who had long overstayed his welcome.

Kid moved inside, settling down on the soft plush carpet in the middle of the room. His eyes remained glued to the floor, and Law felt a small flutter of panic at this uncharacteristic behavior.

"W-what's wrong...?"

"Please. Could you accompany me for something? I'll explain everything later. There's really not much time."

Kid's voice sounded strained, and it wasn't hard to tell that the redhead was fighting to keep himself under control. Law nodded immediately. As Kid exited the room, Law hastily changed into street clothes, and the two were out of the apartment within a few minutes.

Kid had called for a cab while Law was changing, and the two remained silent, lost in their own thoughts while waiting for the vehicle to arrive. Soon, the cab pulled up before them, and Kid opened the rear door, ushering Law into the backseat before climbing in himself. After a short conversation with the driver through the glass partition, they were on their way to their destination; a large hospital situated some distance from their apartment.

Law had caught bits and pieces of Kid's conversation with the driver, and the only message he could discern was that there was "no time". That meant the call Kid had received earlier was probably from the hospital, yet the redhead had seemed disturbingly calm during the phone conversation, an ironic contrast to the urgent situation on hand.

"They told me to go see her before she leaves this world, which in the worst case scenario... can happen as early as tonight..."

Kid's sudden explanation felt like a punch to Law's stomach.

"Who...?"

"My mother."

Law could hear the slight tremble in the larger man's voice, and he felt his entire body grow numb as Kid quietly explained the situation.

Three years ago, she had been diagnosed with an incurable disease. In the beginning, it was only the trouble brought on by repeated visits to the hospital for check-ups, but before the year had ended, her condition had degenerated to the point where she had to be admitted indefinitely. Kid had urged her to undergo surgery and numerous therapies to extend her life, but she had refused. Her doctor gave her a year more to live, but she had miraculously pulled through almost three full years since that diagnosis.

However, it seemed like her time was finally up.

"She's almost blind, so she won't be able to discern much..."

With no one else to turn to, Kid had asked Law to act out the role of his fiancé and meet his mother.

"I just want her to stop worrying so much about me."

Law had agreed to the request without hesitation. In retrospect, he now understood why Kid had always seemed so desperate to find a girlfriend, to the point that he would settle for any woman who showed him the slightest interest. He must have been doing his best to ease his sickly mother's mind these past three years, pushing his own needs and desires aside. Yet it had all been in vain, and now, in her last moments, he had no choice but to send her off with this lie.

"I'm sorry to ask such a thing from you... It must feel horrible to be used like this-"

"It's alright, Eustass-ya..."

Law's mind was brimming with more questions about Kid's family, though he hesitated to ask in fear of inadvertently treading onto anything Kid preferred to keep private. They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, before the curiosity overwhelmed Law and he found himself asking;

"What about... your father...?"

"Oh... I don't have a dad. It's always been just the two of us..."

Law mentally slapped himself.

"Sorry..."

"No problem... He hasn't been around ever since I was born, so it's normal for me..."

Kid's voice trailed off, and Law was left to ponder at the ironic contrast in their family situations. Here was Kid, born into a broken family, who still obviously thought the world of his mother. And then there was Law, brought up in a rich and prestigious household, yet disowned by his parents and struggling to survive on his own.

The rift between them felt wider than ever, and Law was at a loss of how to comfort the redhead. They spent the rest of the cab ride in silence, Law cursing himself over his inability to help.

The hospital they arrived at was an imposing structure, looming large over the surrounding landscape. Law followed Kid inside as the larger male made his way down a maze of corridors, up an elevator in the west wing of the building, then into the third room down the hallway.

The woman lying prone on the hospital bed smiled as she turned towards her visitors, sensing them the moment they entered the room. Kid had said that she was practically blind, yet she seemed to know that her son was here. Law chalked it up to maternal instinct.

She was devastatingly thin, but even the effects of her disease couldn't mask the woman's youth. Without the strength to sit up to receive them, the woman lay limply on the bare hospital sheets as Kid took Law's hand and led him to her bedside.

"Hi mum. I've brought my fiancé to meet you today. We're planning to get married really soon."

Feeling slightly awkward, Law whispered a greeting, then watched as the woman smiled and slowly lifted a trembling, bony hand towards them. Seating himself by the bed, Kid took her frail hand in his own large ones, bringing it up to his lips for a tender kiss before leaning down as she whispered something. Law was unable to discern what she said to him, but he stood waiting, not wanting to intrude on Kid's last moments with his mother.

Then, the redhead started talking. He told her about his life with Law, about how his work was going well, about the weather, even about some local news he had watched on the TV that morning. Gradually, he turned reminiscent, recalling events from his childhood that brought tiny smiles to her face.

Law had taken a seat at the foot of the bed, listening quietly to Kid's monologue. He didn't miss out on the number of times the redhead sprinkled promises of the future into their conversation, and it wrenched at Law's heart every time.

How Kid had recently discovered a good restaurant, which they should visit soon. How he had spotted a particular dress which he felt would look great on her, and they would go to buy it as soon as she was discharged. How they should all drive to a rural spot one night and just watch the stars. How the bakery in front of the train station baked awesome cakes, which he would buy one for her next birthday. How they would go view the cherry blossoms together next spring, and go to the beach next summer. Pick grapes and mushrooms next fall, vacation at a ski lodge in winter.

They could go around the country, or perhaps even venture overseas. He could request to go on leave anytime to accompany her to do whatever she wished to do.

Despite knowing that none of these promises would come true, Kid rambled on with a grin on his face, like a child talking about his dreams. It was painful to watch, but Law did his best to blink back his tears. He knew she couldn't see well, but he wasn't going to risk her discovering him crying and ruining all of Kid's efforts.

After a while, a nurse came in to perform a check-up, and the two men were requested to leave.

"Sorry for dragging you into this. Here, use this to get a cab home."

Kid pulled out some notes from his wallet and handed them to Law, but the smaller man just shook his head.

"Please, let me stay with you."

For a moment Kid looked as if he was about to protest, but he paused and seemed to reconsider, then nodded and stuffed the cash back into his wallet.

Law stayed by Kid the entire night, spending any time they could by his mother's bedside, and the rest waiting impatiently on the benches placed outside along the corridor when doctors or nurses came to check up on her. Law would occasionally make his way to the lounge to buy a drink from the vending machine, which they shared; otherwise, the man devoted all his time to talking with her as Law sat nearby, silently watching and praying.

Her condition worsened in the middle of the night, and suddenly, the small room was crowded with panicked medical personnel. Law guided Kid to a corner to give them space to work.

Kid was trembling, his brow furrowed as he watched his mother writhe in pain, yet his eyes never left her face. Law held the man's freezing hand in his own, gripping it gently. The ordeal continued till daybreak. When the doctor finally called out to Kid, the man remained rooted to the spot.

"Eustass-ya."

It took a while for Law to bring Kid back to reality, and slowly guide him over to where his mother's body lay. Releasing Law's hand, Kid gently touched her hair, her cheek, before taking her hand in his for the last time. Then, without a word, he turned and left the room.

* * *

Please leave a review or comment if you can. All of them will be translated and presented to the original author. (・ω・*)

**snoopypompom**: Yes the angst is slowly beginning! But there will be many sweet and cute moments too!

**Guest 2**: Aside from Kid and Law, I think most of the other characters in the story are OCs. And thanks for always sticking with the story! *hugs*

**Guest**: Haha who knows why Kid does anything. XD Though I think at this point it's still too early for them to realize how close they are getting to each other. ;)

**Ma-lyn14**: Thank you honey! Credit goes to my lovely beta beposbutt. She's the one who catches all my mistakes and recommends great lines!

**cantorahagedoorn**: Hahahaha ikr! I would have been creeped out by what Kid was doing. XD Let's hope Law's strong enough to fend off all that touching and teasing lol!

**Shiina Yuki**: I knowwww! They're just like a sweet married couple in that chapter~~ Kid has a fetish for legs, it seems! And embarrassed blushy Law is the cutest!

**loogoo**: Me too! Such sweet babies~


	6. Chapter 6

Hi all!

Sorry for the long long hiatus, enjoy the new chapter and have a great Christmas! ^_^

Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~

* * *

**FORTUNE: CHAPTER 6**

**~By the time you wish to be filial, your parents are long gone.~**

**XxXxXxX**

From the time his mother's body was moved out of the hospital room till after the funeral, Kid never shed a single tear. His piercing eyes remained dry as he gave off an air of composure, but Law knew it was probably because the man was deeply petrified inside.

Kid had said that he had been ready to accept his mother's death, but Law doubted it.

Not having the heart to broach the topic, Law let the issue slide as he let his mind and body be dominated by problems at work, up to the point where he even pulled a couple of all-nighters, leaving Kid to hopefully come to terms with it on his own.

Then it happened, three days after the funeral.

Law had returned from work early, and was just about to insert his key into the front door when a strange sensation overcame him. Grasping the doorknob, he gave a twist, and was surprised to find that it opened easily. The door had been left unlocked.

Suddenly terrified that Kid had done something stupid while he was absent, Law rushed to the other man's room, only to find the redhead sitting in front of the low table, watching the sky outside the window.

Assured that Kid was still alive, Law let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

"I'm home," he called as he entered the room.

Slowly, Kid turned towards him, his eyes widening at the sight of Law as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Welcome back," he replied after a long pause, his eyes never leaving Law's face.

After an awkward moment, he lowered his eyes to the floor, as if suddenly exhausted.

"I thought…you weren't going to ever come back…"

"Why?"

"…I don't know."

Law's gaze shifted to the tabletop, strewn with an overflowing ashtray and empty cans of beer. Amongst the mess, he spotted several bankbooks, a few envelopes and some letters.

A box Law had never seen before sat on the carpet near the table, its top open to reveal what looked like odd craft creations and some yellowed pieces of paper bearing a child's drawings. Beneath it all, Law thought he saw several photo albums and a few pieces of women's clothing.

"Have you been eating…?"

Law asked, after glancing back at Kid and noticing how the other man seemed to have lost some weight.

"Not hungry," came the whispered reply.

Law understood, yet he was sure that going hungry was partly the reason why Kid felt so despondent. Or perhaps the man wanted to feel that way, so he was refusing to eat.

Law moved to his usual spot and took a seat, frowning at the mess on the table. He wanted to clean it up, not because he liked the place tidy, but because the disorderly sight just did not suit Kid's usual neat self.

Kid had reached for another cigarette and lighted it up. The hunger was probably strengthening his need to smoke. Law felt uneasy, wondering how many cigarettes and cans of beer the other man had gone through in his absence.

He scolded himself for abandoning Kid, choosing to escape to his workplace instead of helping him through this crisis. There wasn't anything that couldn't have been done without him, nor was he desperate for money, so why had he let work take priority over this friendship?

Leaving Kid alone, in this state, when he didn't even care enough to eat and ensure his own survival. The thought of what could have happened left Law terrified.

They continued to sit in oppressive silence, without the sound of conversation or the TV or radio playing, with only the occasional sound of children's laughter drifting in through the window reminding them that time had not froze in its tracks.

During this time, Law gazed at Kid's side profile as the other man smoked, his eyes skimming over and over across a piece of paper he held in his hand. The letter was crumpled; its accompanying envelope on the table torn as well, and Law wondered how many times it had been taken out and read ever since Kid received it.

"Is that…from your mother?"

"Yeah…"

"May I read it, please…?"

"Yes…"

The reply was curt, but Law sensed no rejection in Kid's tone. Taking the letter from Kid's hand, he began to read.

The words were smudged, the paper damp with tears, and the lettering slanted as though written by a hand left with barely enough strength to hold a pen. Even so, it was a beautiful script, written in elegant cursive.

It was a letter filled with nothing but love from a mother to her son.

"I found it within the pages of one of her books… She must have written it some time ago, when she still had strength to do so…"

He whispered to himself, as if not expecting Law to reply. Law remained silent, waiting, and slowly, Kid started to speak.

"She wrote it when…she realized that there was no hope of a cure to her illness… And to think I kept pushing her to go for treatments… I must have seemed like such an idiot…"

"No, you're not."

Law could only guess how much Kid loved his mother, judging from how he spoke to her in the last moments of her life, with promises of where they would go and what they would do when she got better, as if she was not at that very moment dying from an incurable disease. Even so, his effort must have made that last day so happy for her.

Though it was only for a few hours, Law witnessed something wonderful that day; the love of a family that would not be torn apart.

"My mum gave birth to me when she was only fifteen…"

She had appeared quite young when Law met her, so that did not come as a big shock. But as he did a mental count, a sense of pain washed over him. She had only been forty when she'd passed.

"She was an eligible young lady from a decent household, and had been betrothed to a good man. But she fell in love with someone else in the end, and got pregnant with me… Her health had always been her weakness, and her parents urged her to abort me, but she refused. They chased her out of the house after that, and shortly disowned her… Meanwhile, the man had disappeared, yet she never once said a bad thing about him. She said they had loved each other, and was glad to have his child. She borrowed some money to tide her through the pregnancy, and then worked hard to raise me on her own. It was so hard, no one wanted to employ someone so young and weak, but she never complained. Now that I think about it, she was just like you."

Law glanced up from the table top to see Kid smiling gently at him. It seemed like the other man still remembered what Law had told him about his past.

"Her manager often tried his best to help her, and gave her lots of days off…but it must have been tough for her all the same…"

With that, Kid's gaze shifted to the box on the floor.

"I was just going through her things, and this, a box I always thought she treasured because it contained items from her family long ago… yet it's only filled with these junk…"

Law took a closer look at the items, which all seemed to be Kid's creations when he was still a child. Drawings he'd made of her, and of his dreams and ambitions for the future. A robot made from paper cups, empty drink cartons and broken chopsticks. A tiny plastic bottle rocket. And lots of paper, essays, thank you notes, birthday cards. What Kid had called junk, but were probably priceless treasures to her.

"There's no meaning in me keeping these… I should have buried them with her…"

Frowning, Kid stabbed out his cigarette, then pushed it into the overflowing ashtray, causing several stubs to fall out of the other end.

"Even this house… I rented this place because I wanted to live with her, though she was only here for half a year before she had to stay in at the hospital…"

Kid was lighting up a new stick. Law wanted to stop him, but couldn't find it in himself to do so.

"Our previous place had already been demolished, so this apartment is the only place which still contains memories of us… When I knew she wouldn't be coming back to live here, I considered moving…yet the irrational fear that she would really never come back if I moved away always stopped me from actually leaving…"

A single person living in such a large apartment. Two and a half years of waiting for his mother to return.

"I knew she wouldn't get better…because she didn't want to undergo any operations or therapies to extend her life. We could have spent the money, and she could have gotten better. We could have gone overseas…could have met some genius doctor like what always happens in those TV dramas…"

Kid grabbed the bankbook on the table, opening it and showing it to Law, whose head swam when he saw the numbers printed upon the page.

"I should have used this money to bring her travelling around the world. But I was afraid. Afraid that travelling would worsen her condition… Afraid because it meant we were both accepting the fact that she would never get better… And before I knew it, she had grown too weak to even leave the hospital for a stroll outside…"

The last transaction was a deposit, dated last month, and Law knew the amount was most of Kid's salary, a silent wish that he had not yet given up on her.

"And I just wanted her to stop worrying about me, so I planned to get married, but things never went well with regards to that… I thought about bringing a group of friends to see her, but I'd been working non-stop since I left school, and haven't actually made many friends whom I can trust…"

Kid stubbed out the cigarette and reached out for the other two bankbooks on the tabletop. Law noted that one bore Kid's name, the other his mother's. The redhead gazed at the books and let out a deep sigh.

"I told her I was earning enough for the both of us, but she insisted on keeping a part-time job, claiming that she was saving up for something. In the end, she never spent a single cent on herself…"

Her bankbook was mostly filled with entries of her salary, deposited into her account by her company, yet the overall balance was meager. In contrast, Kid's bankbook held a record of monthly transfers from her, spanning over numerous years, the total amount adding up to several times more than what he had saved up himself…

"I told her I didn't want her money…!"

Kid's voice rose as he flung the bankbooks back onto the table, before burying his face in his arms.

"Just what…have I ever done for her…"

He was just twenty-two when he learned about his mother's illness; that her remaining lifespan could actually be predicted. He was young, without any other support, unable to quit his job to be by her side.

He must have racked his brain trying to come up with solutions, but unable to carry any of them out. If only he could have done this, if only he could have paid for that; now, there was nothing left to do but regret.

His life had revolved around her, his every single decision made with her in mind, his hope to live on with her for as long as he could.

But she was gone now, leaving him alone with his anxiety, fear, sorrow and loneliness.

"I didn't even manage to ask her before she was gone…when I knew she was going to pass…when it was the only thing on my mind…"

There was a long pause before Kid managed to speak.

"Had she…really been happy…?"

"I'm sure she was," Law replied instantly.

Her life had been short, yes, but to have such an honest and kind son who loved and treasured her, she must have experienced true happiness.

"Look, didn't she say so here?"

Law held out the letter he'd been holding, and for a moment, Kid stared at it, unmoving. Then, tears brimmed in his eyes, before silently trailing down his cheek, drop by drop.

Kid's expression twisted in sorrow as he hid his face in his hands. Sobbing and gasping, he called out for her again and again as he collapsed onto the floor.

Law hurried to his side, gathering the other man gently in his arms. Running his fingers through Kid's hair as he sobbed into his lap, Law cried soundlessly, sharing in Kid's pain.

Kid had said that he had been ready to accept his mother's death, and it was nothing but a lie.

He had only been too afraid to face reality.

Now, assaulted by pain and regret, there was nothing left to do but grieve.

* * *

Please leave a review or comment if you can. All of them will be translated and presented to the original author. (・ω・*)

**Guest 2**: Kid talks more about his mum in this chapter, and she does seem like an awesome lady! And yeah, poor Kid, grief is one of the hardest emotions to deal with. :(

**13TailedArticFox**: Me too. This fic in general is very domestic compared to how action-packed OP usually is, and I think it's a very nice and refreshing thing to see these boys as average people like you and me instead of bloodthirsty pirates lol. The link to the original fic can be found at the top of every chapter! ;)

**Guest**: I know, losing someone is always hard, especially if it's close family. Law's not very sure what to do, but he's doing his best! *hugs both babies*

**Shiina Yuki**: Yep yep! And it's amazing because at this point they're hardly in love yet lol. Hope you liked this chapter!

**haidogirl**: Yep. Law knows what it feels like to be all alone in the world, he's probably not gonna let Kid go through the same pain.

**Mezaron**: *hands you tissues* THERE IS NO MERCY YET HONEY PLEASE BEAR WITH THE PAINNNN! _ Law's gonna be there for Kid as much as he cannnnn!

**Racelett**: *hugs your heart* I'm so glad you like the plot! I was a little apprehensive to post this fic at first because the boys are really behaving in a very OOC way. I mean that's because they're normal people and not pirates with traumatic pasts but I was afraid people won't want to read about such things. _ Thank you so much for your support, I really appreciate it and I'm sure the author will too! T_T

**loogoo**: Haha yessss, it's the tiniest things that's gonna make them fall in love~~ 33

**whyyousoserious**: So sorry for making you wait so long for an updateeee! Here is more angst for you! 33 I will do my best to translate this fic on a more regular basis, so do keep checking back! And take my word, the original is really really well-written with beautiful prose, I just hope I managed to capture some of its essence with the translation! _

**Labyrinth-chan**: *hugs* Let's cry together! Yep, this fic is all about the calm and fluff! Thank you so much for following it! 33

**TuDan**: Thank you thank you! Hahaha yessss our dear boys really make such a perfect couple, and this fic just paints a domestic heaven which suits them so sweetly lol! Oh, and do feel free to translate Colors of Love, just remember to credit the author by providing a link back to her work on pixiv! ^_^


	7. Chapter 7

Konbanwawawa!

Oh gosh I truly apologize for not getting off my butt and translating this fic on a regular basis please forgive me and do enjoy the new chapter I will try very very very hard to translate the next update soon omg I do promiseeeeeee!

Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~

* * *

**FORTUNE: CHAPTER 7**

**~A friend in need is a friend indeed.~**

**XxXxXxX**

"To Kid,

By the time you read this, I probably won't be by your side any longer, so I'd like to apologize for that first. I must have been a burden to you up till the very end. I'll be lying if I said I was anything but reluctant to leave you alone, but Kid, you are a mature child, so I'm sure you will be alright.

When you have time, please read this and reminisce with me.

Throughout the entire time when I had you inside me, I was really so happy. When you were born and I held you in my arms, you immediately stopped crying and grabbed onto my finger with your tiny hand. I will never forget that moment.

I didn't manage to take many pictures, but I remember every single thing, from the first time you walked on your own to your first word. When you won first prize in the school sports festival race, you were really so fast, just like the wind.

Everyone told me not to do it, but I just wanted to give birth to you so much that I decided to leave home. If I had been more persistent, maybe you wouldn't have had to go through so much. I might have been able to buy more things for you, and bring you to lots of different places.

Even though I was tied down by work and unable to spend time with you, you grew up to be an honest, mature boy. You were always smart, getting full marks for your tests at school, which made me so happy. I remember wondering if this genius child was really my own flesh and blood.

I remember very little from school, so I was unable to give you much help, but you managed to get into a good school all on your own. Yet you chose to work instead of moving on to college, saying that you wanted to lessen my burden. When you first talked about that during a meet-the-parent session at school, both your teacher and myself were really surprised. The teacher begged me to talk some sense into you, but you were very insistent.

It did make me very happy. Maybe that was the reason why I was unable to tell you that I actually had enough money to send you to college, that I had been saving up all this while just for you. I allowed myself to rely on you.

But I also wondered if you had your own dreams, and were giving them up for my sake.

After some reflection, I decided to continue saving up for you. Together with all the money I set aside for your college education, it is my entire life savings. Though I'm not sure how much will be left after paying for my hospitalization and funeral expenses, please feel free to use the money. It has always been for you.

When you said you would be going to stay at a dormitory at work, I sent you off with a smile, even though I was crying inside. My baby had grown up, and it's made me feel so lonely. I felt like a failed mother.

But I was so happy when you came for me a few years later with an offer to live together again. Just like a failed mother, I was eager to rely on you, but you have always been so kind, so I made up my mind to continue relying on you until you meet a great girl and settle down.

I'm sorry we didn't manage to live together much in the end, when you went through much trouble of finding a good place. Life can be cruel, and I've always wondered why it had to be me. When I die, you would be alone, without any support, and I was so anxious and afraid of what would happen to you then. I was a fool, and have left nothing for you. If only I had not cut all ties with my family. I'm really really sorry for putting you through all this, but in this short time I've had on earth, I have been really really happy.

We stayed together in the house for just half a year, but I had so much fun. We went shopping and cooked together, and you would tell me my cooking was great even though it wasn't, and eat it all up without leaving any scraps, then you would always offer to do the dishes.

You have always been so helpful, though it feels different from when you were a child. Now you can reach up and grab things off of shelves without the need of a stool, and carry such heavy items as if they weigh nothing. It makes me feel happy, yet lonely. But in the end, the sight of you all grown up was the greatest blessing of all.

Kid, you are intelligent, good at sports, and so kind. I am so proud of you. Thank you for treasuring me, and thank you for letting me be your mother.

Now, please grant this last wish of mine. When you are reborn in the next life, please choose to be my son again.

Thank you so much for being my son. I have been so happy. I will always watch over you, and pray for your happiness.

To my beloved Kid,

From mother"

**XxXxXxX**

Kid sat on the floor smoking, reclining against the bed and a towel damp with cold water draped over his swollen eyes. Law knelt at the low table set in the middle of the room, quietly clearing away the trash that had accumulated over the days.

With Kid unable to rouse himself enough to clean the place, it was no wonder that a melancholic air hung heavy in the room. He must have been hurt deeply, his grief and despair stashed away for so long. But now, he was finally allowing his tears to flow.

Law was glad for that. If Kid had continued the way he was, it was only a matter of time before he crossed the point of no return and died of a broken heart.

Gathering the beer cans into a bag for recycling, Law emptied the ashtray into the trash bin and gave the table a thorough wipe down. Carefully picking up the crumpled letter, he returned it into its envelope before placing it gently back onto the table.

Kid watched all this through the thin fabric of the towel. The smoke from his cigarette rose towards the ceiling, but was dissipated by the fan before it could reach its destination.

"I'm so pathetic... A grown man crying like a baby..."

"That's not true..."

In fact, the thought had never crossed Law's mind. To him, there was nothing wrong with grieving after the loss of a precious family member, especially when Kid had remained so calm and collected from his mother's passing through to the funeral. He had truly been the perfect son, carrying out his filial duties without a fault.

"The fact that you're crying means that the love you have for your mother is genuine. There's nothing pathetic about that."

Kid had loved his mother and been loved in return. They had treasured each other, and had happiness in their grasp. In Law's eyes, they shared the perfect relationship, and even her death would not change that. The memories they created together would continue to bring Kid joy well into the future.

"In fact, I would feel pity for a person who manages to remain stoic and strong despite losing a loved one."

Law had no idea if his words would get through to Kid, but he just didn't want to see the other man berate himself any longer.

Having finished with the table, Law finally moved to pick up the mementos scattered on the floor. He had left this task to the end, afraid of intruding and messing up something so personal, and his movements were slow and careful as he waited for Kid's reaction.

However, the redhead made no move to stop him.

Not knowing which items he should keep or discard, Law decided to put them all back into the box. That done, he replaced the lid on the box and piled the two thin photo albums on top. Just as he was thinking of a good place to keep the items, Kid spoke up.

"You think these will reach her if I burn them...?"

"Huh?"

Kid's quiet inquiry surprised Law, and he found himself pondering about the issue.

"Nah... It's nothing... Just leave them below the table for me."

Law silently pushed the box and photo albums beneath the table, then started to fold up the clothes. Scattered around the room, it had seemed like quite a collection, but as Law folded them up, he realized what a small pile there actually was. It was a measly wardrobe, even for a single woman.

As if sensing his thoughts, Kid spoke again.

"She didn't like to waste money on unnecessary things... Guess you can tell how frugal she was."

His voice no longer held sorrow, but was instead tinged with nostalgia. Law felt extremely grateful for that.

"She's really...just like you, Eustass-ya..."

Kid was frugal too, and never bought anything on an impulse. That was the reason why he had such a large amount of savings despite his age.

"What do you want to do with these clothes...?"

There was a pause as Kid took a puff on his cigarette.

"Throw them away."

"Are you ok with that?"

"I have no use of them...and it feels wrong to give them away to someone..."

Law understood what Kid meant, though he was still doubtful that throwing the clothes away was the right thing to do. But Kid was right; the clothes would serve no purpose even if he kept them. Yet Law still didn't feel right about it.

But he knew his opinion didn't matter. It was Kid's decision to make, and his alone.

Moving to the kitchen to grab a trash bag, Kid soon returned and opened it up in front of Law, signalling for him to dump the clothes inside.

Gathering up the clothes in his hands, Law hesitated as he looked at the bag. He just couldn't shake the feeling that he was throwing away something extremely important to him. But sensing the determination in Kid's eyes, he reluctantly placed the clothes into the bag gently, making sure they rested at the bottom in a neat pile.

Just in case Kid changed his mind.

Kid stared silently at the folded clothes for a moment before speaking.

"Sorry..."

Was he apologizing to Law for putting him through this, or to his dead mother, or to the clothes for throwing them away? Law had no idea.

Before he knew it, Kid had knotted the bag and disappeared out the door. Returning after a few minutes, he sank down before the table once again. Taking out a fresh cigarette from the pack in his pocket, he was just about to light up when Law objected.

"You're smoking too much."

For a moment, Kid remained unmoving, his lighter poised on the tip of the cigarette, before he sighed and lowered his hand.

"Eustass-ya, are you hungry?"

"...Maybe..."

Returning the cigarette to the pack, Kid turned to stare out the window.

"Why am I hungry...?"

The phrase seemed familiar somehow, and Law recalled asking it of the redhead once before. Remembering Kid's answer, he spoke it now.

"Because you're alive..."

Kid's eyes widened at he turned to Law, looking for all the world like a child who finally learned why the sky was blue. Law thought he looked adorable.

"Really...?"

"Yes. Now, shall we go out for a meal?"

"You telling me to go outside while looking like that?"

Kid gave a small smile, and Law felt relief flooding his heart.

"Alright, I'll be a lonely soul and go out to get some ingredients. What would you like to eat?"

"Omelette rice. You cook it really well, I wanna eat it again."

Kid's smile was gentle, and seeing it cemented Law's belief that Kid would be alright after all.

It might take some time, and the wound might never heal completely, but he was definitely moving in the right direction.

"Alright. I'll cook up a really delicious meal, so make sure you don't snack before I'm done."

Law stood and grabbed his bag, which had been lying in a corner of the room. Just as he turned to make his way out, Kid spoke.

"Trafalgar."

Law stopped in his tracks.

"Thank you."

Two words. Those two words made it all worth it.

"Don't be so sentimental."

With that, Law left the house with a smile.

He was definitely going to make the most delicious omelette rice he had ever made.

The setting sun shone bright as he stepped outside, the scenery flaming red in its glow on that summer's day.

* * *

Please leave a review or comment if you can. All of them will be translated and presented to the original author. (・ω・*)

**Guest: **I don't know either! Maybe I'm a horrid person who thrives on angst! *hugs and cries together*

**haidogirl1406:** *hugs and cries together*

**Shiina Yuki:** Yeah, this story has angst in many different forms. Thank you for waiting so long for each update and taking the time to review! *hugs*

**Mezaron:** Yep, they're gonna rely on each other more and more from now on, and lovely things are going to start developing soon~~ Yep, 60 chapters with a sequel, please pray that I can get them all translated!

**dangminh hang****:** Thank you babe! Haha, I want Christmas all year round too! Non-stop good food, presents and vacations~ ^_^

**Guest 2:** Thank you dearie, I'm very glad to be back too! Yep, Law is trying his very very best, and Kid is lucky to have him. Let's hope they realize it soon! 3


	8. Chapter 8

Hello!

New chapter whoohoo! Kid and Law are back and hopefully starting to fall for each other *grin* Enjoy!

Original fic (pixiv,net/series,php?id=277975) Replace all commas with full stops~

* * *

**FORTUNE: CHAPTER 8**

**~What can't be cured must be endured.~**

**XxXxXxX**

Summer moved on, and Kid's days were filled up with work. While not a deliberate attempt to shy away from his social committments, Kid found it much easier to escape into activities which did not require him to exert too much effort to interact with others. At work, he could afford to let his body run on auto-pilot, and he often found himself drifting through his routines, the day ended with him on the train heading home before he even noticed it.

Without any other hobbies to occupy himself with, any free time he had outside of work was generally spent at home. It was as if his physical body was exhausted and starving for rest, so all his days off were spent recuperating.

Recently, even getting up in the morning and heading out to work was becoming a chore, and the hours at his office were filled with a strong urge to head home. At times, it felt like he was ageing rapidly, but Kid chalked it up to a temporary exhaustion brought on by stress. He would definitely spring back soon and things would return to normal.

It was after a week of draining work when he returned home one day to find Law preparing dinner in the kitchen.

"Welcome home."

Law greeted his housemate as he stepped into the kitchen, and Kid noted a bruise forming on the side of the smaller man's face.

It must have happened again. Probably a fight with his current lover, even though they had been doing so well just a week ago. The bruise looked bad; it must have been a painful hit.

"What happened?"

Kid hadn't meant to ask; he always took care not to probe into Law's personal life, but the severe injury this time caused him to speak out.

"Well... He said I cheated on him despite promising not to, so he punched me."

"Did you cheat?"

"Not that I know of."

Kid knew Law was speaking the truth. He was not a person who would cheat on his lover. In fact, he probably didn't even know how to. The man had always been morally fastidious, and was often more than happy to spend time and effort on his lovers. It was just the rate at which he jumped into relationships with new men that made him seem loose. In Kid's eyes, that was Law's only weakness.

"Well, I can't help it if he really believes it's true. Anyway, since it's not destined, it's for the best that we broke up."

Law smiled cheerfully despite the painful bruise on his cheek. He had broken up with so many men in the past that it seemed to no longer bother him, or even make him upset. It brought a strange comfort to Kid, along with a sense of unease.

Law always seemed so in love with the men he chose to be with, so being dumped must have hurt. Yet he bounced back strong each time he met a new guy, almost as if the previous relationship had never mattered to him.

In fact, Law could very well be falling for his next lover right now.

"Eustass-ya's back early today?"

Law's query broke through Kid's musings.

"Yeah... Everyone at work is still taking it relatively easy on me."

"That's nice. Take the time to rest up while you can. You always work too hard."

Turning back to his cooking, Law scooped up a spoonful of sauce and tasted it, then let out a small smile.

"Tastes good. Dinner's done, would you like to eat first?"

"Not yet. I'll go take a bath."

"Oh, I was just about to do that, but please go ahead."

With that, Law padded into his own room to retrieve a fluffy bath towel and handed it to Kid. Taking the item with a nod of thanks, Kid headed to the bathroom.

The tub was already filled up. As Kid usually arrived home much later, Law must have drawn the water for his own bath. Though Kid had essentially hijacked the bathroom, Law had shown no sign of annoyance. Once again, his sweet and giving nature was a pleasant surprise.

Taking off his clothes, Kid headed into the bathroom, lifted the lid on the tub, and was greeted by an unusual sight.

The water was bubbling.

It wasn't that Kid didn't know what was happening; he knew what bubble baths were, but he was just shocked. Didn't Law say he was going to take a bath? So was this his doing? Frankly, Kid had always viewed bubble baths as sort of a girl thing, but maybe Law also enjoyed it too?

Kid hesitated for a moment. No, it would be silly of him to make a fuss over something so trivial. With that decided, he took a short shower before lowering himself into the tub.

Overall, it wasn't an unpleasant experience, though the constantly popping sounds of the bubbles distracted Kid from really relaxing. Just then, Law's voice, laced with a tint of humor, rang out from the dressing room.

"How's the bath, Eustass-ya?"

"Not bad. The bubbles are irritating, though."

Law chuckled at his honest reply.

"Sorry, I didn't know Eustass-ya would be back so early. I usually drain the bath before you come home."

"Nahh, I should be the one apologizing for using up your bubble bath. You must have been looking forward to it."

"Well, I guess so..."

Kid frowned at how soft and evasive Law's tone suddenly sounded.

"What? So you don't like it?"

"Erm... I do, but..."

Kid tilted his head in confusion as Law's voice grew even softer. In the ensuing silence, the sound of water dripping from the showerhead seemed particularly loud.

Finally, Law continued in a tiny voice, and Kid strained to hear.

"Is it weird? For a man to like doing this..."

The solemn and timid sound of Law's voice surprised Kid. Law was usually not so shy about his likes and dislikes, and often grew annoyed when others tried to impose their views on him. Then, he belatedly remembered that Law had just been dumped. It must have been a greater blow to his self-esteem than he chose to let on.

"Not really. Well, I guess it's a little strange for a guy to like bubble baths, but it's not absurd."

It was true. Baths were a thing to be enjoyed in one's own privacy, after all. Anyway, everyone had their own little quirks and fancies, and it would just be rude for anyone else to pass judgement on personal preference of such a private matter.

"So Eustass-ya is...alright with it...?"

"I've heard that men in some overseas cultures enjoy having bubble baths too. Don't we always see that on TV?"

"Really...?"

"Yeah, some of them don't even wash off the bubbles after their soak."

"Oh...?"

Law seemed surprised at the information, and Kid took the chance to climb out of the tub and rinse himself off.

"Erm, since Eustass-ya says that it's fine..."

"Hmm? You have more unexpected fancies?"

Kid was relatively certain that nothing Law said would be able to shock him anymore, yet what Law revealed next was definitely unexpected.

"Can I light some aroma sticks?"

A long silence followed.

"...Well...I guess you can?"

"Now you're just humoring me."

"I didn't mean it that way. I was just shocked. Please go ahead if you like it."

Washing off the bubbles, Kid had to strain to hear Law's voice over the sound of the shower.

"Ok. What type of fragrance do you prefer?"

"Erm... I don't really know what's good..."

"I'm sure you have favorite scents, right? Shall we go shopping together soon?"

"Alright."

_'So we're going on a date.'_ Kid's mind supplied helpfully, but he stopped that thought before it could develop any further.

"Dinner's ready whenever you feel like eating."

With that, Law exited the dressing room, and Kid emerged from the bathroom after making sure the other man was gone.

After wiping himself clean and drying his hair with the blow dryer, Kid got dressed and went to the kitchen to grab some cans of barley tea from the fridge. Returning to his room, he joined Law, who was fiddling around with his mobile while waiting, at their usual place before the low table, and they tucked into the meal.

The main dish tonight was hamburger steaks. As always, it tasted amazing.

"It's delicious."

"I know, it's one of my best dishes."

"Do you actually have anything that's not your 'best dish'?"

Law tilted his head in thought, then answered with a small smile.

"Well, I can't cook gourmet stuff, since it's hard to buy the right ingredients."

"I see," Kid returned the smile.

After the meal, as Law was pouring out glasses of barley tea for them both, Kid pointed to the smaller male's mobile phone, which was lying at a corner of the table.

"What happened to your phone's strap?"

"Huh?"

Confused, Law took a look at his mobile, before letting out a gasp as his face fell. Taking the device in hand, Law replied in a small voice.

"It was getting a little old...so I guess it broke off and fell somewhere..."

Kid remembered the polar bear creature dressed in an orange jumpsuit. It was quite a strange character, which was why he retained quite a good memory of what it looked like.

"Where did you buy it?"

Just as he was about to suggest that they go buy another one together, Law shook his head.

"It's not really for sale. I got it as a prize from an arcade game..."

Law sighed with a sad smile.

"Is it something important to you?"

"Not really. I just like that character."

With that, Law grabbed his bag and opened it, drawing out several items all emblazoned with the bear's image. His pencil case, files, and even a camera pouch. Him liking the character was definitely an understatement.

"Isn't he cute?"

Yes, it probably was, in some way, but the creature definitely held no appeal for Kid. Hence he could only supply simple nods of acknowledgement as Law enthusiastically showed off his collection, giving happy accounts of where he bought or won each item.

Despite this, Law seemed happy as he ranted on, a child-like smile lighting up his face the entire time. To Kid, Law was definitely more adorable than that weird bear.

"I suck at those arcade games, so that strap took me really long to win..."

Law frowned, but the smile was back in place in an instant as he gave a small shrug.

"Oh well, it doesn't matter now."

Kid was reminded once again of how patient Law could be with things, and how he always persevered to achieve what he wanted.

But how many of his past lovers had actually appreciated that quality? How many had brushed it aside in favor of criticizing him over trivial things like whether he liked to take bubble baths?

"Alright, I'll go take a bath now."

Kid watched silently, that sad, lonely thought in mind as Law exited the room.

* * *

Please leave a review or comment if you can. All of them will be translated and presented to the original author. (・ω・*)

**Elementalcrystals**: Thank you hun! Hope you liked this new chapter! ^^

**Ma-lyn14**: Yay! Thank YOU so much for reading it~ All the best with your Japanese studies! 頑張ってくださいね!

**Guest 2**: Aww I always love reading your comments! Yeah Kid's mum sounded like a really great lady! And yes, it's so sweet and beautiful how Kid and Law are supporting each other in any way they can! XD Oh and yes! Captain's war was so funny! I had it saved in my folders for the longest time because I've been wanting to translate it since forever lol. Glad you liked it~~~

**ShitCook**: I'm really happy to hear that! Please enjoy more~~


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